The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 92

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XV. in the same manner as his disciples. Open houses and food partaken of in publio Vers. 1-20.-Discourse concerning CffB• allowed this close observation without e.ny monial pollution. (Mark vii 1-23.) infringement of Eastern courtesy. They come to Christ with the insidious question, Ver. 1.-Then. This is after the third Pass- because they consider him answerable for over, which v;hether our Lord nttended or his disciples' doings(comp, eh. ix.14; xii. 2). not, has been a matter of some dispute. Moral They imply that his teaching has led to the considerations wonld make ns infer th0,t tre.nsgression on which they animadvert. Le was present, fnlfilling all rigbteomness, Doubtless the apostles, from Christ's in- though there i:3 no direct statement in our struction and example, were lee.miog to free narratives on the subject, Came to J'esu themselves __from the endless rules and re- scribes and l'hariseee, which were of .Jeru- strictions which were no help to religion, salem, n.ying, The Binaitic, B, e.nd some 11,od to attend more to the great realities of other manuscripts read, Came to Jesus from vital piety and holiness. The omission of Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees. This, which the outward acts, rabbinically enjoined, was is virtually !he reading of the Revised readily marked and censured. The tradition. Version, whether original or not, seems to This formed 11, vast collection of additions, represent the fe.ct correctly. The bigoted explanations, etc., of the original LO:w, rahbi.e of tbe capital, a.roused to fresh action partly, e.s was affirmed, delivered orally oy by the news of Christ's success in ~lilee, Moses, and handed down from generation send emi.soaries from Jerusa.lem to see if to genere.tion; and •partly accumulated by they cannot find some ea.use of offence in encceesive expounders. St. Paul refers to the words or actions of this ra.sh. Innovator this when he speaks of himself before his v;hich may give the desired opportunity of conversion e.s being " exceedingly jealous cnrnhing him. An occasion offered itself, for the tradition of my fa.there" (Gal. i. 14). and we.s immediately seized. From it, in the course of time, was formed Ver. 2.-Thy disoiples. They had watched the Talmud, with its text (Mishna.) e.nd our Lord and his followers _Partaking of its commentary (Ge1D8,ra). It was not put some meal, and doubtless OhriBt bad acted into writing till after our Lord's time oa, xv. 1-39.] 'rHE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, 95